2. Processing Mail Topic Outline
Handling
E-Mail
Handling Traditional Incoming Mail
Handling Outgoing Domestic Mail
Using Office Equipment
International Mail
5. E-Mail—Etiquette/Netiquette
Never
send anything you don’t want made public
Address
Reread
Use
receiver by name in opening sentence
message before sending
spell-checker
Keep
message concise
6. E-Mail--Etiquette (continued)
Use
capital letters sparingly
Include
original message in replies or forwarded
messages to eliminate need to summarize what
has been written
Always
get writer’s permission before forwarding
or posting e-mail message
Post
only messages pertinent to members of
group
7. E-Mail—Ethical Issues
Employers
have reasons for monitoring
employees’ computer activity
Maintain
organization’s reputation
Improve
employee productivity
Increase
security
Prevent
employee disclosure of trade secrets/other
confidential information
8. E-Mail—Ethical Issues (continued)
Employees’
Privacy
Long
concerns include
issues
hours at work and need to communicate with
others outside company
9. SORTING MAIL
OPENING MAIL
READING AND
ANNOTATING MAIL
Handling
Traditional
Incoming Mail
PRESENTING MAIL
ANSWERING MAIL IN
THE MANAGER’S
ABSENCE
10. Handling Traditional Incoming Mail—Sort
Sort
by groups:
Mail
sent with urgency
Letters, including bills and statements
Interoffice mail
Personal mail
Newspapers and periodicals
Booklets, catalogs, etc.
Packages
11. Handling Traditional Incoming Mail—Open
Mail
Assemble
supplies:
Opener, date stamp, paper clips, tickler file, To Do list, and pencils
If
envelope opened by mistake, seal and write
“Opened by mistake” and initial; then distribute
to addressee
Establish
preferences for handling “Personal
and Confidential” mail with manager
12. Handling Traditional Incoming Mail—
Read and Annotate
Know
what manager wants:
Does
he/she want you to underline key words and
dates, and write marginal notes?
Keep
alert to things that
Contain
date of appointment
Mention report being mailed separately
Confirm phone conversation
Request decision that cannot be made until
additional information is obtained
13. Read and Annotate Mail (continued)
Annotate
Use
small handwriting
Make
notes brief
14. Handling Traditional Incoming Mail—
Present Mail
Process
mail quickly
Place
urgent mail on top and least urgent items
on bottom
Protect
manager’s privacy
Place
mail so it is not visible to others
Place
confidential items in large envelope or folder
15. Answer Mail in Manager’s Absence
Abide by manager’s preference
Typically,
If
if only gone one or two days, set mail aside
urgent correspondence, call or e-mail manager
Organize
business mail in folders
Forward mail that requires immediate action to person designated
Respond to letters you can answer
17. Handling Outgoing Domestic Mail
Steps
in preparing items
Review
Verify
documents for signatures and enclosures
inside address with envelope address
Determine
Presort
most accurate way of mailing item if needed
mail
Outgoing
mail divided into two classes
Domestic
International
18. Handling Traditional Outgoing Mail—
Dangerous Goods
Prohibited from being mailed
both domestically and to
points outside of United
States
Articles or substances listed
could be dangerous to postal
workers and postal
equipment, or could damage
other mail
Explosives
Flammable items
Radioactive materials
Gases, oxidizers,
organic peroxides
Corrosives
Toxic and infectious
substances
Asbestos, air bags, dry
ice
20. Office Equipment—Postage Meters
Postage
added automatically to envelope or
package
Advantages
Mail need not be canceled or postmarked by post office
Sent directly for sorting
Allows receiver to track actual time, date, and place where
processing occurred
May be dispatched slightly sooner than mail that must be
canceled at post office
Convenience of not using stamps
Apply exact postage needed
23. Office Equipment—Fax
Copies
and transmits documents over
telephone lines to corresponding remote fax
machine
To
send or receive a fax from your computer,
use fax software
24. Office Equipment—Fax (continued)
General
procedures for sending
Complete
adhesive note or use transmittal form to
show contact information of sender and recipient
Place
document in fax unit (face up or down?)
Dial
fax number; if sending long-distance, enter LD
access code
Press
Send button
25. Office Equipment—Fax (continued)
Tips
If
to establish guidelines—determine
message is appropriate for faxing
If
document is delivered by fax, type an appropriate
notation on line below signature, such as “By fax”
Appropriate
Guidelines
How
cover sheet
for maintaining confidentiality
misdirected messages will be reported
28. Office Equipment—
Photocopiers (continued)
Tips
Copy
when you have several items
Determine best times to use copier
Keep track of monitoring device, such as a card or
access code
Plan ahead for copying needs
Comply with Copyright Act
Turn on “Power Down” mode when you have
finished
30. International Holidays and Mail Services
Holidays
celebrated each year change from
year to year
Countries
with diverse populations may
practice over ten major religions
Before
mailing or faxing important documents:
Check
Use
out country’s schedule of holidays
Internet and access search tools for current
list of holidays
